By OLIVER SAMBOKO
QUESTIONABLE court rulings coupled with impunity by the Electoral Commission of Zambia, if not resolved now have the potential to cause confusions and fracture constitutionalism in the country, Green Party (GP) leader Peter Sinkamba has warned.
He said at the moment the people were getting agitated because of the confusion in the judgements coming from the courts regarding the just held by-elections in Kwacha and Kabushi constituencies.
Mr Sinkamba said it was now clear that the people’s confidence in the Judiciary and the electoral system was fast weaning out.
Mr Sinkamba said all key issues pertaining elections should be resolved now before the 2026 general election to avoid chaos and anarchy.
He warned that if the country went to the 2026 general elections without resolving the confusion created by court rulings, the outcome of the elections would not be pleasant.
Mr Sinkamba said the courts of law and the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) should always do things in the interest of the nation and not self-serving which could breed confusions in the country.
He said as courts dispensed justice, they had the duty to ensure that they were aware that citizens were getting agitated with what was happening in the country.
“Because of the confusion created by the courts, the people are getting agitated and angry. So it is important that the courts change course and begin to do the right things to avoid breakdown in constitutionalism,” Mr Sinkmba said.
He said it was important for the people of Zambia to continue having confidence in the judicial system of the country because should citizens lose the confidence in the institutions of governance, Zambia would easily become ungovernable.
Mr Sinkamba said the sovereign authority of the republic of Zambia was vested in the people of Zambia through Article 5 of the constitution of Zambia.
“The people have just distributed this authority to various institutions including the Executive, the Legislature and the Judiciary, therefore those power has been delegated to should not be selfish or have self-serving attitude,” he said
Mr Sinkamba warned that if this kind of judgments continued, and with the impunity at ECZ, the people of Zambia would be forced to take the law in their own hands which would result in the breakdown of the rule of law and statehood.
He said the breakdown in the rule of law and constitutionalism has led to problems in many countries because of the bad attitude of those given the instruments of power.
